Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to capture and/or processing of audiovisual performances and, in particular, to techniques suitable for use in manipulating visual prominence of performance synchronized video in a coordinated audiovisual performance of multiple performer contributions.
Description of the Related Art
The installed base of mobile phones, personal media players, and portable computing devices, together with media streamers and television set-top boxes, grows in sheer number and computational power each day. Hyper-ubiquitous and deeply entrenched in the lifestyles of people around the world, many of these devices transcend cultural and economic barriers. Computationally, these computing devices offer speed and storage capabilities comparable to engineering workstation or workgroup computers from less than ten years ago, and typically include powerful media processors, rendering them suitable for real-time sound synthesis and other musical applications. Partly as a result, some modern devices, such as iPhone®, iPad®, iPod Touch® and other iOS® or Android devices, support audio and video processing quite capably, while at the same time providing platforms suitable for advanced user interfaces. Indeed, applications such as the Smule Ocarina™, Leaf Trombone®, I Am T-Pain™, AutoRap®, Sing! Karaoke™, Guitar! By Smule®, and Magic Piano® apps available from Smule, Inc. have shown that advanced digital acoustic techniques may be delivered using such devices in ways that provide compelling musical experiences.
Devices having AirPlay® modes of operation popularized by Apple, Inc. have been used to wirelessly mirror content to television displays, thereby providing a larger screen experience for content and features available from using a mobile phone. For example, an Apple TV™ set top box may be connected to a standard television or other display device to provide such mirroring. Apple TV devices, as well as competitive TV-connected media streaming devices, may support retrieval and rendering of content from a network, as well as the execution of games, entertainment applications, etc.
As researchers seek to transition their innovations to commercial applications deployable to modern handheld devices and media application platforms within the real-world constraints imposed by processor, memory and other limited computational resources thereof and/or within communications bandwidth and transmission latency constraints typical of wireless networks, significant practical challenges present. Improved techniques and functional capabilities are desired, particularly relative to audiovisual content and user interfaces.